CHAPTER 242: WAS IT LOVE, OR JUST AN INFATUATION?

Later that night...

Zara fastened the necklace Nathaniel had bought her and gazed at her reflection, her fingers lightly tracing the glittering diamonds. A soft smile touched her lips as his words echoed in her mind: ’I want my wife to look beautiful at the party.’

Her thoughts drifted back to the jewelry shop. Nathaniel hadn’t spared Riya a single glance, as if she no longer existed for him. His attention had been entirely on her.

A faint heat rose to her cheeks. ’Has he really fallen for me?’ Her heart fluttered with both hope and fear.

She longed to hear those three words from his lips. But what if she was only imagining it? What if he didn’t feel the same? The thought made her chest tighten.

’Why would he deny it?’ another voice argued inside her. ’He clearly has feelings for you. Didn’t you notice how he couldn’t keep his hands off you?’

Zara bit her lower lip at the memory of Nathaniel clinging to her all the time at the shop. Yet a shadow of doubt lingered. Could she ever truly take Nora’s place in his heart? The question burned quietly within her.

"My wife looks so beautiful," Nathaniel’s deep voice broke through her thoughts, his arms slipping around her waist.

Their gazes met through the mirror, and she blushed further.

A hint of amusement crossed his eyes. "That blush makes you even more irresistible."

Zara smiled shyly. "Thank you for the necklace."

"As long as it pleases you, I’ll buy you anything you want." He turned her toward him, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"But Riya must be upset," Zara said softly. "We went there to help her choose a ring, but instead, we ended up shopping for ourselves. You didn’t even ask if she wanted anything."

"Wrong," Nathaniel cut in, raising a finger. "You invited her to look at the sets. She chose not to. If she didn’t want to buy anything, that’s on her."

"Maybe she just wanted a little more attention from you," Zara countered gently. "But you were too focused on me. You barely noticed her."

"You are my wife," he replied firmly. "Of course, I’ll give you my attention."

He tilted her chin upward and captured her lips in a slow, sensual kiss. His hand slid down to the curve of her back, pulling her closer until her body was pressed against his. Her warmth, her scent — it all made his control falter.

A flicker of something darker crossed his eyes. He pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against hers, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. His fingers lingered on her cheek as he whispered, "I want to see you only in the necklace."

Zara’s breath caught. "What?"

His gaze deepened, dark with desire. "I want to admire you. Will you do that for me?"

The rough edge of his voice sent a shiver through her. His eyes were so intense, so consuming that her resolve melted away. Her heart pounded wildly. Slowly, almost teasingly, she began to undress, never breaking eye contact.

Piece by piece, her clothes fell to the floor until she stood before him naked, only the necklace around her neck, the diamonds glinting against her skin.

Nathaniel traced her from head to toe, drinking in her beauty. His gaze lingered on her smooth legs, then moved up slowly, resting on her flat belly for a while before moving up to the swell of her chest. His breath grew shallow.

Her breasts were beautiful, round, neither small nor big. The nipples stood erect as if inviting him in.

Nathaniel could barely hold himself back. He stepped closer, his hand rising to trace the curve of her waist. A shiver ran through her at the contact, her body responding before her mind could.

When his fingers reached her bosom, she drew a sharp breath, instinctively leaning into his touch.

"You are beautiful," he breathed, his lips finding her neck.

She trembled, her hands instinctively clutching his shoulders. Her skin tingled where his fingers brushed. Her body was alive to every brush of his skin against hers. The sharp and intoxicating scent of his cologne filled her senses.

He tilted her chin upward, his thumb brushing her lower lip. The heat between them rose, their breathing mingling. The magnetic pull drew them in closer and closer.

"I want you now," he whispered. The softness of his voice, the charged air between them, muddled her thoughts. All she could think of was him and him only.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she whispered back. "Take me."

As soon as she said that, he kissed her again, this time hungrily. His touch grew more frantic. He pushed her against the wall, his eyes burning into something darker.

Their breathing grew heavier and faster as they looked at each other for a moment. The next minute, his lips met hers yet again. The kiss wasn’t soft or exploring. It was consuming as if he were ready to swallow her whole.

Zara gasped, her palms pressed to his chest. She could feel the taut strength beneath her hands. All thoughts left her mind. What remained was the heat of him, the scent of his skin, and the sheer power of his nearness.

The heat between them rose further. Her hands worked quickly as she impatiently undid the buttons of his shirts. Nathaniel shrugged off his shirt, letting it fall to the floor. Likewise, he shed the remaining clothes until he was fully naked.

His every movement was sudden, deliberate. In one pull, he lifted her one leg, pulling her closer as though he couldn’t bear the space between them. His bulge pressed against her.

The ache to feel her, claim her, only intensified. With a groan, he entered her.

Zara’s breath hitched; the sensual impulses electrified her nerve endings. Her leg wrapped around his waist, holding him close to her.

Every movement was urgent, consuming, inevitable. Zara’s body rocked with each thrust. The tension between their bodies built to a fevered intensity.

"Right there," she murmured. Her eyes rolled back to her head as she lost herself in the overwhelming pull of their connection.

"Come for me, sweetheart," he whispered.

His rhythmic movement pushed her to the edge. Zara’s mind went blank, consumed by the heat and pressure of the moment. She clung to him, feeling the tremor of the intensity ripple through her. The ground beneath her almost vanished.

He lifted her, making her wrap her legs around his waist. Their lips locked yet again into a heated kiss as he carried her to the bed. They sank into the mattress, their bodies entwining.

His movement grew more frantic. The energy between them surged once more, unrelenting and wild.

A guttural groan escaped his throat as he found his release. He collapsed beside her, holding her close.

Neither of them moved or spoke, yet Zara’s mind wouldn’t quiet. Questions swirled restlessly inside her. What did he truly feel for her? Was it love, or just an infatuation, born of desire alone?